Wintersown

[Kassaundra]

I came across this idea the other day when I was looking something else up, anyone do this? Was it successfull, or not? What seeds did you do and how did you do it? If you've never heard of it just type in wintersown the site is either wintersown.com or org, I don't remember but it will come up in the search engine.

 

[wifezilla]

I kept some chinese cabbage alive all winter. We even had a few nights where it went to -20. Then in spring, I uncovered them and forgot I had the cover off when I let the ducks out for some free range time. I hope they appreciated me keeping those alive for them!

 

[digitS']

Kassaundra, that question has come up a couple of times on TEG, just last month in fact.

Sowing seed in plastic bottles outdoors during the winter seems like it would work fairly well. This might be especially true for areas with abundant winter sunshine (remember, the bottle cap is left off during those sunny days ). That kind of climate is not really what I have here.

I do have an unheated greenhouse and start onion seed in there about February 1st. The heat isn't turned on until March so they have over a month to deal with the cold overnight temperatures on their own. Well . . . I will set the flats of potting soil down on the ground and cover them during nights when it will freeze in there.

I know a Colorado gardener who winter-sows every year with mixed results. I think the hardier perennials that she grows do fine but things like tomatoes are hit and miss. Some years, she reports good success. Other years, she has to make a trip to the garden center for plant starts. I don't know if she grows the hardier annuals this way. I've started cabbage & broccoli from seed directly sown in the garden. It worked so-so but probably, a very early start could be made using winter-sowing techniques or just starting under a bottle used as a cloche.

Steve

 

[Kassaundra]

I'm a toasty zone 7, so I'm going to give it a try, I think.

 

[Neko-Chan]

We're a fairly comfortable Zone 8, and some things will grow rampant in the winter here. We have snow peas, rocket, radishes, onions, broad beans, leeks, garlic, german chamomile (of all things!) and swede (rutabaga). Oh, and some Brussels Sprouts, but mine are looking fairly sickly.

You should definitely give it a try!